Preparing for Christmas: A 5-Day Advent Devotional From Worship TogetherSample

PEACE!

If you’ve ever been shopping the week before Christmas, you know it can be chaotic. Crowds and lines, deals and desperation—shopping can feel like anything but peaceful. We have rules, laws, and police officers to help keep the peace when things get a little out of control. Keeping the peace is important, but there is something even more important that we, as Christians, are called to do. Instead of peacekeepers, we are to be peacemakers.

In Matthew 5:9 of the Beatitudes, Jesus teaches that “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Jesus calls out anyone who tries to cause trouble, make a mess of things, or oppose the things of God. But He also calls out anyone who chooses not to live a life of peace themselves. For instance, Jesus wants you to choose peace in your own heart toward God and others. Choose peace as you interact with people in your home or community. And the hardest of all: choose peace in your thoughts, words, and actions. The word “peacemaker” in Matthew 5:9 means “those who love peace or a peaceable person.” Meaning, blessed are those who love being peaceful themselves and, also, love making sure they are helping to make things peaceful around them. But how can you be a peacemaker? Peacemakers are quick to forgive, slow to be angry, and choose to do what is right in the moment. Peacemakers see others as God’s creation and live with respect and love for those around them. Peacemakers are a tough thing to be! If we’re honest, everyone could improve their efforts as a peacemaker in the world. But Jesus desires peace from us because He is the very image of peace Himself. In fact, the prophet Isaiah called Jesus the Prince of Peace. So, peace is incredibly important to God and the Holy Spirit is the ambassador of peace to His people. If you call yourself Christian, you have already committed to being a peacemaker in your life because the Spirit of God lives inside of you. But that doesn’t mean the Christian life will be easy, or peaceful. It takes a lot of sacrifice and effort. The good news is that being a peacemaker is always worth it. Choose to be a peacemaker in every part of your life, not just a peacekeeper when something goes wrong and needs a quick fix. When you do, you will be blessed as a child of God and be used in amazing ways to grow the kingdom where Jesus is already crowned the Prince of Peace.